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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · capital · stock · key · firm · suit · club · mouse

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. club — for golf
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stock — shares
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. firm — decided
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. stock — goods
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — a group
  18. firm — steady
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. suit — in cards
  21. key — in music
  22. suit — to fit
  23. club — for dancing
  24. capital — money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com